“This amazing film by the Jouberts leaves very little to imagination – you’re constantly on the edge of your seat, hoping that death won’t strike again”

For ages, the story of the ancient rivalry between two of Africa’s most bitter eternal enemies has been shrouded in the secrecy of darkness. Each night is like a battlefield as this war of wits plays itself out between the hyenas and the lions of Savute in Botswana.

Dereck and Beverly Joubert have studied and filmed the lions in Savute since 1981. Because of the unique privilege of working at night, they have at last been able to bring to the screen the truth about how lions and hyenas behave in the darkness.

This is the story of one clan of hyenas and one pride of lions as they interact with their neighbours and with each other, surviving each night only by displaying strength and aggression, in what can best be described as a blood feud between two eternal enemies. With never-before-seen footage, much of it filmed at night, you'll uncover an intense and vicious battle that has been waged for millennia.

• Trek into the hidden battlefields of northern Botswana where lions and spotted hyenas clash in overlapping territories.
• Follow the Southern Clan, led by a powerful hyena matriarch, whose firstborn female cub kills her sister at birth to assure her succession as leader of the clan.
• Lurk in the shadows as a lioness from the Central Pride gives birth to three cubs and then encounters a deadly Egyptian cobra.
• You'll be stunned by breathtaking chase scenes as the hyena matriarch is brutally killed by a male lion, throwing the clan into chaos.
• Discover nature's savage conflicts in this ancient rivalry between Eternal Enemies: Lions And Hyenas.

This documentary has become one of the most popular wildlife shows ever produced, with estimates of a quarter of a billion viewers so far, achieving almost cult status in many countries.

It is the story of the individual animals that draws you in – it’s hard not to cheer and cry over the battles fought in the lives of these animals. The film leaves you on the edge of your seat, hoping that death won't strike again.

WARNING: contains graphic, real animal violence that may not be suitable for young children.

Watch a preview of this film on the National Geographic website below: